Nolcha is an award-winning, Fashion Week event held simultaneously with NY Fashion Week, consisting of four hours of runway shows at the Thomas Reuters Building at 195 Broadway. This year, 30 designers were selected to showcase their Spring 2011 collection for Nolcha’s ninth season. I managed to squeeze three shows in my schedule and run downtown, near the World Trade Center site, from Lincoln Center in order to catch this year’s winning designers.

NKWON’s hybrid designs worked on building a tension between an old fashioned, feminine fragility and a modern opaque toughness. Fitted and unstructured looks, hard edges and unexpected details pushed the limits of function into the fringes of conceptual art.

Stella Simoni had a 1920s inspired collection displaying twenty first century’s flappers in tailored, finely constructed dresses adorned with flower-like accessories and drop waist gowns with a modern unclingingness and casual looseness.

OLA STYLE had stunning color and luxurious fabric in body gracing long dresses mixing fitted bodices with flowing skirts and unfitted casual gowns that captured a swift modern elegance.

LUXXE’s line of resort wear was inspired by the deep tropical seas with sea shells, coral reef and mother of pearl designs. Fluid negligees, tunics and lounge shirts were assorted with leggings and loose pants for a disarming look of unconventional, yet accomplished chic.